Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 394: To ask the Minister for Health and Children , further to Question No. 79 of 7 May 2003, the areas of spending on suicide prevention and research in 2004. [2955/04]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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My Department has given special attention to the resourcing of suicide prevention programmes and research since the publication of the report of the national task force on suicide in 1998. This year more than €4.5 million is available to the various agencies working towards reducing the level of suicide and attempted suicide in this country. This includes the health boards, the National Suicide Review Group, the Irish Association of Suicidology and the National Suicide Research Foundation.

Work has commenced on the preparation of a national action-oriented strategy for suicide prevention. This proposed strategy, which will involve the Health Board Executive — HeBE — the National Suicide Review Group and the Department of Health and Children, will be action-based from the outset and will build on existing policy. All measures aimed at reducing the number of deaths by suicide will be considered in the context of the preparation of this strategy.